Arianespace launches Thor 7 and Sicral 2 satellites

Ariane 5 orbits a civil and military satellite on its first launch of the year

Arianespace has successfully launched two telecommunications satellites: Thor 7 for the private Norwegian operator Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc), and Sicral 2 for the operator Telespazio, on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Defense and the French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction Générale de l'Armement, part of the Ministry of Defense).

Today's launch, the third of the year for Arianespace and the 64th successful launch in a row by Ariane 5, took place at 5:00 pm local time from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana. The first launch in 2015 of the Ariane 5 heavy launcher, this mission clearly illustrates

Arianespace's dual objective: establish itself as the global leader in commercial launch services, while also guaranteeing reliable and independent access to space for European governments.

Dual mission: civil and military satellites

Thor-7 will provide TV broadcasting services for central and eastern Europe, along with broadband communications for the maritime industry, and spotbeams for the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Red Sea, Baltic Sea, Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean. Sicral 2 will provide strategic and tactical communications links for the French and Italian armed forces, as well as additional telecom capacity for NATO countries. That makes Sicral 2 a fundamental element in a common European security policy, which must count on a spaceborne component.